[Pearls Ep 128: Friday follow-up.]
Well, last weekend we had a wonderful little surprise party for Karen. She was genuinely surprised, which ain’t easy!
One of my surprises came in planning it with our daughters. Somewhere along the way they have passed over that mysterious line from child to young adult. They did a major part of the planning and execution and did so masterfully.
I remember when our girls were little, and as most parents can relate, whenever they’d see us engaged in an activity their natural response is “can I do that with you?” – which is a marvelous, God-given aspect of their little human nature – and so the answer was “of course you can!” And then I’d let them take a turn with the chain saw (just kidding). The relevant point is that we didn’t actually need their help, in fact it sometimes happened that when they were done “helping” we would quietly redo much of it. But we wanted their help because … that is what a parent’s heart desires with their children.
And so we come to this Sunday’s Gospel reading, and Jesus inviting us to “ask, seek and knock.” This is one of many passages where Jesus invites us to pray to our Father for what we need.
Why does God desire us to do that?
In this week’s Pearls video we discuss whether we can change God’s mind – and of course the answer is “no” – He is unchanging and unchangeable.
But He apparently want’s our input and our participation. Why? Well … because that is what a parent’s heart desires with their children.
God desires us to pray, to engage with Him, to trust Him and desire Him like a small child trusts and desires to be with their parent.
Here’s how St. Thomas Aquinas puts it:
“God bestows many things on us out of His liberality, even without our asking for them: but that He wishes to bestow certain things on us at our asking, is for the sake of our good, namely, that we may acquire confidence in having recourse to God, and that we may recognize in Him the Author of our goods.” (Summa Theologica 2-2.83)
There are some goods that God holds back, waiting on us to ask. He desires us to take Him up on His invitation, but He doesn’t force our actions – since God is outside of time and all-knowing, He knows how we will respond and He plans accordingly. It remains up to us whether we take Him up on His invitation.
This weekend, we will hear God our loving Father tell us, “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” God is always at work in our life and has a plan for us – this scripture is an invitation to hear His invitation anew and to stir up that childlike response, “can I do that with You?”
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith – Interior Life